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Behavior and habits

C · Interpret with caution

Which approaches help young adults move more

Subject: Behaviour-change techniques for increasing physical activity

What this means

Programme participants were more active than controls, up to 3 months and beyond. In 34 of 66 studies (52%) there was a clear difference favouring the programme.

Whatnall MC, Sharkey T, Hutchesson MJ, Haslam RL, Bezzina A, Collins CE, Ashton LM · 2021 · Journal of Sports Sciences 39(15):1754-1771

What does this rating mean?

Limited, mixed or hard-to-translate evidence. Useful as direction, not as a rule.

Findings

Which behaviour-change techniques are associated with more physical activity. Conducted in young adults.

Who this applies to

Healthy young adults aged 17 to 35.

Size of the research

66 randomised trials; the pooled analyses used 5 to 11 studies each.

What to keep in mind

In the overall test, the type and number of behaviour change techniques were not linked to effect. How to keep the effect in the longer term still needs research.

Practical conclusion for REZA

Useful for coaching conversations about behaviour change, but the population studied is younger than REZA's clients — we translate this cautiously, not directly.

View method and source

Methodology

Systematic review with meta-analysis

Limitations

The population studied is considerably younger than REZA's target group. Translating the findings to people in their forties and older isn't straightforward.

Original source

DOI: 10.1080/02640414.2021.1898107 · PMID: 33685357

View on PubMed →

This information is general education about scientific research. It is not personal medical advice and does not replace diagnosis or treatment by a doctor or other healthcare professional. If you have symptoms, a medical condition or take medication, consult your GP or treating professional before changing your training or nutrition.